A little walk in the countryside

The weather has been stunning recently. Spring has definitely sprung. Actually it's felt like summer. It even got to 27°C ! Honestly it was a bit of a shock to the system given that I was still wearing at least three layers around the clock, but its been lovely. So my brother and me decided to make the most of it, given that we live in England it will probably be back to single figures and rain next week so we went for a walk one evening.

The sun was low and warm as we set off and only a few clouds hung in the sky. As the breeze glided past it carried the sounds of song birds enjoying the warm weather and the smell of summer. You know that smell? the smell of baked earth and blossoming flowers.

We walked through a local allotment (yes the town I live in has a communal allotment). It was the perfect picture of an English country scene, the warm sun on the growing veg, as people pottered around tending to them. We came to a large field that was boarded by an orchard of cherry tree's, there blossoms in full fresh bloom. Past the soft grass field we came to a small side road barely wider than a car. As we strolled along song birds flew across and overhead. We kept going along until we found ourselves on a little dirt track edged by trees and fields. We noticed wild rabbits in the fields either side of us, so crept past as quiet as we could so as not to disturb the little things and watched as they bounded through the grass. At the end of the long path we found ourselves in a wood. The trees stretched gracefully up into the sky as the ground below them slopped sharply upwards. Everything suddenly became quiet, the sound of the nearby road seemed to be absorbed and discarded by this little patch of woodland. It was perfection on such a lovely warm evening.

I grew up in woods. Not literally of course :) But I haven't been for years, my chronic fatigue just wouldn't allow it. So being able to walk 2 and a half miles ! and stand in a beautiful wood gave me the most amazing sense of achievement. I stood and took a breath in and felt incredible. Yes I stupidly wore bloody sandals that ripped my feet to hell. 6 blisters all in all, and all on the bottoms of my feet. Honestly that last half a mile on the way home was laughably horrendous ! I looked like I was just learning to walk, I was a mess. But I didn't mind one bit I'd do it again in a heartbeat.
When we got home it was almost getting dark. I ate sliced peaches and we watched Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix together but ended up just laughing about all sorts the whole way through instead.



(I think only a plate of crumpets and a cup of tea could have made my evening sound more stereotypically British.)